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Wienerberger Ltd
Wienerberger House, Brooks Drive
Cheadle Royal Business Park, Cheadle
Cheshire SK8 3SA
T 0161 491 8200 | F 0161 491 6529
[email protected] | www.brick.co.uk
0720
12IS
S04
Vision
Issue 4
The creativity of brick
ConTenTColoPHonVision is a publication of:
Wienerberger ltd
Editors
Michael Driver
Sarah Jackson
Aparna Gondekar
Heather Butler
Photography
Andrew Smith, SG Photography
Design
Kingsford
SpringDesign, ‘s-Hertogenbosch
3
eDIToR’S noTeWelcome to the fourth edition of Wienerberger Vision.
We hope these five unique projects will delight and inspire the designers and
architects among you. Once again we have chosen schemes from across the UK,
featuring a variety of bricks and clay facings, giving you just a flavour of the vase
hundreds of products in the Wienerberger portfolio.
Anyone with an appreciation of heritage buildings will be interested in the Duchy of
Cornwall’s Poundbury development, with its mix of architectural styles and materials
and ethos of sustainable living. Opinions may differ but one element that demands
agreement from most is that quality and craftsmanship have been a constant.
For modernists we offer the geometric conformity of the Glenthorne High School
project, or the contemporary simplicity demonstrated by the residential Latitude
complex. Then new meets old with the striking new Bloc Hotel in Birmingham’s
historic Jewellery Quarter, while anyone with an eye for gleaming luxury should
be satisfied by this look at the stunning Savoy Hotel restoration. As ever, there is
something for everyone, enjoy!
The Savoy Hotel, LondonThe Pinnacle of Luxury 4
The Bloc Hotel, BirminghamChic and Stylish 8
Latitude Mixed Development, ManchesterBold and Confident 10
Housing Poundbury, DorsetA Rousing Reaction 14
Glenthorne High School, SuttonA Unique Identity 16
5
London’s Savoy Hotel has recently undergone a
multi-million pound refurbishment. Wienerberger
supplied the White Glazed Imperial Brick which was
a key element in the restoration of the façades of the
building.
Pierre Yves Rochon (Interiors), Reardon Smith (Architects)
Pierre Yves Rochon (Interiors), ReardonSmith (Architects)
and Buro Happold (Structural engineers) were the lead
consultants for the project which started on site in January
2008 and was completed by october 2010.
The Savoy Hotel was originally the brain-child of Richard
D’oyly Carte who built it with profits from the Gilbert and
Sullivan operas. He had already built the Savoy Theatre,
designed by C.J.Phipps and decorated by Collinson and
lock which was opened in 1881 on the site of the Savoy
Palace in the Stand. The theatre was the first public
building in the world to be lit by incandescent electric
lights and the hotel, which was built on an adjacent site,
also contained ground-breaking ideas. Thomas e. Colcutt
designed the hotel which was opened in August 1889, with
modern features that we would today take for granted,
such as electric lights, electric lifts (then called ‘ascending
rooms’) and en-suite bathrooms with hot and cold running
water. Richard D’oyly Carte’s ambition was to create a
luxury hotel that would rank with the best in the world.
The Pinnacle of Luxury
SAVoY HoTel, lonDon
He is widely thought to have achieved his ambition and
set a standard that has since been maintained because
the management has not been afraid to engage in major
restoration and refurbishment work.
In the 1920s the hotel was refitted to include air-
conditioning, steam heating and upgraded services
(including a telephone in every bathroom). Then, 84 years
later it was time for another major upgrade for this iconic
but aging edwardian building.
The original design had featured white glazed terracotta
blocks on the major elevations and, in order to maintain
the white glazed theme but reduce costs, Thomas Colcutt
had specified white –glazed bricks on the side elevations.
While Victorian architects used white-glazed bricks to
improve the quality of light in light-wells and other narrow
spaces, it was unusual to use the material as a component
of the external elevations of the building.
When the 2008 restoration started, all the external
elevations were scaffolded so the architects and structural
engineers were able to carry out a meticulous inspection
of all the components. Jim Ryan of ReardonSmith notes
that the original bricks, for which a match was required,
varied in glaze and base colour depending on the area of
the building.
7
Matching brick means not only matching the bricks but
also matching the pointing and this requires close control
of the dimensions of the new material. Strict planning
restrictions on the Grade II-listed building meant that all
materials had to match the existing and adjoining buildings,
with original building practices replicated throughout.
Jim Ryan, from ReardonSmith said: “The Savoy hotel
is something of a national treasure and one of the most
well-known hotels in the world. The restoration and
refurbishment of such a landmark needed meticulous
attention to detail and all building materials had to pass a
number of stringent requirements. The original brickwork
was also a specialist size and needed to be replicated.
Wienerberger demonstrated it was flexible and adaptive
enough to cope with these challenges and supplied a
product which met performance, regulatory and aesthetic
requirements.”
When the restoration was complete, hotel critics from all
over the world were unanimous in their praise. Jim Ryan
concluded: “Reopening the hotel and seeing people’s
reaction to its updated look was superb. Both the exterior
and the interior of the building have been completely
renewed and restored, enhancing the elegance and
glamour of the hotel and ensuring its longevity into the
21st Century.”
Architectural office:
ReardonSmith Architects
Facing bricks:
Terca - Imperial White Glazed
Chic and Stylish
BloC HoTel, BIRMInGHAM
11
The Bloc Hotel, developed and owned by Boxbuild is
on Caroline Street, St Paul’s Square in the heart of
Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, a location that was
to influence the appearance of the building designed
by architects Larry Priest & Garry Orton.
To anyone familiar with ocean cruises, the question ‘Do
you want an ‘outside’ or an ‘inside’ cabin?’ is understood
to mean a cabin with a port-hole or one without. Perhaps
it is surprising to be asked the same question when
booking a hotel in landlocked Birmingham, but the Bloc
hotel is built on the assumption that a view from your
room is not an essential pre-requisite of staying in a
city-centre hotel.
Boxbuild’s design philosophy is based on the idea that a
hotel should concentrate on fulfilling all the requirements
of a short-term visitor, good-sized comfortable beds,
power showers, high quality flat screen TV and fast
Wi-Fi, and ignoring many of the additional extras which
add expense and are relatively little used. Boxbuild
brought the same determination and clarity of thought
to the construction process. The belief that it was
possible to achieve a high standard of specification and
workmanship through the use of their own pre-fabricated
system lead to an order for the supply of ‘two room’
modules, delivered to site by lorry and craned into
position within a steel framework. The corridors arrived
as pre-fabricated cassettes which were also lifted into
position and fixed between the room modules. It took
24 weeks to complete the building working through the
winter of 2010-2011.
Architects Priest & Orton Norman were faced with a
number of architectural problems arising from the site
and its context, not least its most recent use as a petrol
station and location within a conservation area. The
planners were determined that any new building should
comply with the planning guidelines for the Jewellery
Quarter. Brick was seen as the preferred material for the
façades, and although cladding a number of identical
pre-fabricated units would seem to suggest a regular
pattern of fenestration, nevertheless the planners
suggested that the size and proportions of the openings
and the spaces between them should change from floor
to floor to reflect the pattern established by surrounding
buildings. The windows are a standard size but by
recessing them into the elevation and by introducing a
trim between the window and the brickwork opening,
it was possible to create a variety of dimensions on
Hectic Black is a recent addition to the Wienerberger
range. It is a deep blue-grey colour with a heavily
textured surface. The brick is treated in a post-
manufacturing process which involves soaking
the bricks in petrol and setting them alight. This
treatment produces the distortions of the face which
give the brick its unique character.
ThE conTEmPorary look
13
the façade. At ground level the trim panel is below the
windowsill, while at first and second floor it is above the
window head. The third floor windows have no panel so
that the impression of diminishing dimensions as the eye
travels up the building is achieved.
Obviously brick, with its inherent flexibility of dimensions,
was a sound choice to use for the external elevations.
The selection of the brick was as radical as the rest
of the design. It would have been easy to opt for a
conventional red-buff brick secure in the knowledge
that it would fit easily into its surroundings. However
the architects noted that blue-black engineering brick
had also been used in the Jewellery Quarter so they
suggested Wienerberger’s ‘Hectic Black’. It was an
inspired choice, supported by the planners, because
what is predominantly a dark, textured brick has paler
highlights that give it a liveliness that is absent from
traditional engineering bricks. It forms a good contrast to
the smooth golden surface of the trim panels and gives
the building the distinctive appearance that the originality
of its design deserves.
Architectural office:
Bryant Priest newman
Facing bricks:
Terca - Hectic Black
17
Jane Jacobs in her book ‘The Death and Life of Great
American Cities’ (1961) argued for complexity in city
life, applauding the way in which a mix of uses drove
activity in the streets at different times of the day.
‘A city is a lattice not a grid’ she wrote, suggesting
that the overlapping of functions which she observed
in vibrant cities was one of the reasons for their
success.
Bromsgrove Street is within the rapidly emerging Chinese
Quarter of Birmingham, five minutes’ walk from the Bull
Ring retail development and new Street Station. Until
recently it was an area considered unsuitable for housing,
but a change of heart with city planners has allowed
residential development in this part of the city centre.
Together with adjacent housing schemes, these new
homes will all play their part in invigorating the centre of
Birmingham.
‘latitude’, developed as a joint venture between Taylor
Woodrow and Balli Real estate (BAlI) and designed by
architects Powell Dobson, comprises 189 apartments, 10
ground floor retail units and two levels of car parking that
Bold and Confident
lATITUDe MIxeD DeVeloPMenT, BIRMInGHAM
creates a podium around which many of the apartments
are grouped. There is mix of studio, one and two bedroom
units over seven floors.
The architects were faced with the problem of designing
a city centre building yet at the same time creating an
identifiable place to live. The site runs east/west and the
main frontage is to Bromsgrove Street on the north side,
but it extends down Hurst Street in the west and Pershore
Street in the east. Since the street pattern would remain
unchanged it was decided to locate the building to the
‘back of flag’, that is right on the edge of the existing
pavement to all three streets. not only does this allow the
retail units maximum floor area but it also maintains the
city pattern of shops flanking the pavement. Access to the
housing is provided by three lifts and stair towers which
are entered from the pavement.
The design of the elevations was always going to be
challenging. Adjacent housing schemes have taken the
‘warehouse’ model of solid brick walls built to the ‘back
of flag’ with windows punched in the brickwork at regular
intervals. Further up Hurst Street there was no requirement
19
for retail space and the site was deeper so it was possible
to push the development to the edge of the site and open
up a central court. However, at latitude the retail space
creates voids at street level while above there is a mixture of
different sized units. Powell Dobson solved the dilemma by
creating a brick clad, city scaled grid which hovers above
the retail units. The vertical columns are seven bricks wide
with horizontal bands five courses high defining the floor
levels. Within the grid there are polyester powder-coated
window modules with insulated intermediate panels. The
powder coating is toned to match the glazing which
reinforces the visual strength of the brick grid.
The decision to use a brick grid has been justified by the
choice of brick. The Cranbrook Red from Wienerberger’s
Sandown works is one of the range of Terca bricks. It has a
strong red hue with a dragwire textured surface which gives
the building a bold confident presence.
Architectural office:
Powell Dobson
Facing bricks:
Cranbrook Red
The majority of bricks manufactured in the U.K.
are made by the extrusion process. The clay is
compressed and then released through an extrusion
die, like toothpaste from a tube. The continuous
column of clay is then cut into sections about
800mm long which are then cut by wires into brick-
sized units, hence the alternative name of ‘wire-cut’
for bricks made by this process
ExTruDED/WirEcuT Bricks
22
Poundbury, an urban extension to the historic town of
Dorchester in Dorset, is architectural Marmite, many
love it, many hate it and few are undecided. This
polarisation of opinion makes it an interesting place to
visit, particularly if you accept that you are still viewing
‘work in progress’. The town lies within the lands
of the Duchy of Cornwall, administered on behalf of
Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales.
The buildings by C.G. Fry & Son which contain shops with
offices and apartments above are situated on the B 3150, the
Bridport Road that passes through the middle of Poundbury
westwards from Dorchester. Housing is developed to the
north and south of the B 3150 and eventually this area will
be Poundbury’s High Street hence the buildings are scaled
to acknowledge the importance of their location.
Poundbury has been developed to provide homes for more
than 5,000 people and employment for 2,000. The design
seeks to implement the principles expounded in the Prince
of Wales’s book ‘A Vision for Britain’ (1989). While it relies
for the most part on traditional forms and materials, the
town is designed to be an integrated community of shops,
businesses and housing, both social and private, configured
in a high density urban pattern and meeting the demands
of modern life.
The development started in 1992 with Poundbury Phase 1,
containing 600 new homes, offices and shops. Work has
continued through successive phases and it is anticipated
that final completion will not be reached until 2025. Therefore
it will be some years until final judgements can be made.
The architectural debate as to whether or not Poundbury
is ‘merely pastiche’ or a serious attempt to create an
integrated community in which it is a pleasure to live, has
years to run. However, there is no doubt that some of the
charm of an ‘english Town’ is encapsulated in the surprising
juxtaposition of building types and styles; nevertheless it
requires skill to create the deliberately unexpected.
C.G. Fry & Son is a long-established business which started
in 1918 when 19-year-old Charles George Fry joined his
father George in the village, undertaking business in litton
Cheney, Dorset. Charles’s son eddy became involved in the
1950s and since then his son Philip has joined the business.
The company has been building at Poundbury ever since the
successful tender for Phase 1.
The shops and offices along the Bridport Road/High
Street have a strong urban character. The upper floors
have generous floor to floor heights and external brick
walls in which the openings are subservient to the wall
surface. However at the ground floor the wide shop
fronts are so generous that any illusion of this being a
masonry load-bearing building is dispelled. nevertheless
the construction of the buildings has been carried out with
care and precision. The formation of the window openings
and archways is proof of C.G. Fry & Sons claim that the
company specialises in traditional craftsmanship with the
best of contemporary building techniques.
The bricks which are used throughout this particular element
of the scheme are Wienerberger’s classic St Johns Red
handmade and soft yellow Smeed Dean london stocks,
which are made in the same Kent factory as the original
london stock bricks that were used to build Buckingham
Palace. The St Johns Red handmade was ideal for this
heritage project, thanks to the creased texture and the rich,
red finish, while the more muted Smeed Dean london Stock
with its smooth, natural edges, created beautiful walls full of
character. As both are manufactured by Wienerberger in
the UK, they also benefit from being accredited to the BeS
6001 Responsible Sourcing standard which gives additional
points under the Code for Sustainable Homes and fulfils
part of the Poundbury ethos of building sustainably.
Architectural office:
CG Fry
Facing bricks:
St Johns Red Handmade & Smeed Dean london
A Rousing Reaction
HoUSInG PoUnDBURY, DoRSeT
15
922
Glenthorne High School in Sutton, Surrey, is a school
with a long and rich history in the local community.
Founded on the Glastonbury Road site in 1933, the
school moved to the Sutton Common Road site in
1958 and was, at this time, called Sutton Common
County Secondary Girls’ School; a small girls’ school
for less than 400 pupils. It changed its name to
Glenthorne in 1982 and it wasn’t until 1993 that it
became co-educational.
The school today is a thriving, highly successful, mixed
comprehensive school for 1,300 pupils between the ages
of 11 and 19. It is a Specialist Arts College, a Training
School and an Applied learning School.
like many schools that have expanded, Glenthorne has
commissioned a number of buildings through the years.
An architectural historian would find ample scope in
comparing and contrasting the materials, construction
techniques and programmes that have been used on
successive projects.
The Jubilee Wing was commissioned in 2008 to provide
teaching accommodation, a sixth-form area and an
opportunity Base for pupils with mild Autistic Spectrum
Disorder (ASD). It was named ‘Jubilee’ to mark the 50th
anniversary of the school moving to its present site in 1958.
The major consultants were Scott Wilson (architects and
structural engineers), MeA Consultants (cost), Graham
Powell (M&e) and the main contractor was Sunninghill
Construction Co ltd.
Scott Wilson was asked to prepare a feasibility report
which identified a site, a budget and suggest a number
of ways in which the building could incorporate features
to reduce running costs and match the sustainability
credentials required by the client.
It is often difficult to find a site within a complex of buildings
that has been developed over the years but a space
surrounded by buildings on three sides with a fourth side
open was found. not only was it convenient for the rest of
the school but by building on the open side, the design
created an external courtyard which formed an identifiable
space of its own, rather than merely a route between
buildings.
Although the school has developed over time, architects
have been consistent in their use of brick for the external
façades of succeeding buildings. The bricks are different on
each building but they are all from the red/brown register
giving each building its own identity, while conforming to a
uniform pattern.
Scott Wilson chose to continue this tradition and selected
Wienerberger’s ‘Weald Red Multi Stock’ which has been
used in conjunction with white rendered panels on the
courtyard elevation of the building. The panels are an
interesting addition because, as they run from ground to
roof, they remove the horizontal banding prevalent in other
buildings. By opening away from the facade they create a
sense of privacy to the room within.
The mechanical services introduce ground-source heat
pumps which are linked to solar thermal panels on the
roof providing heating and hot water for the wing. In using
Wienerberger’s Weald Red Multi Stock brick, the designers
also embedded additional sustainable credentials into
the building. Clay bricks, as a natural material, are all
A+ rated with the BRe, as their longevity and durability
require less repair and rebuilding than other products
and can be fully recycled at the end of their lifespan,
making them a truly sustainable option. In addition, these
particular bricks benefit from BeS 6001 Responsible
Sourcing accreditation with due consideration to materials
& resources throughout the supply chain.
The building sits easily with its neighbours in the rest of the
school. It is interesting to speculate what a structure built
in 2058 to celebrate the centenary of the move would look
like. one thing is for certain, however, and that is the bricks
used throughout the rest of the school would still have
years of life left in them, and those on the Jubilee wing will
still look as good as the day they were laid. And that, more
than anything, is sustainability in action
Architectural office:
Scott Wilson
Facing bricks:
Weald Red
A Unique Identity
GlenTHoRne HIGH SCHool, SUTTon